Disclaimer: All you fan-fic readers know the drill by now. I'm not J.K so obviously I don't own Harry Potter (much as I'd like to), BUT I do own this plot. Well, the bits of it that the voices in my head aren't dictating...

Harry Potter and the Time of Trials

Chapter 7: More Closely Guarded than the Crown Jewels

"I knew it," Hermione was saying, hopelessness dominating her entire countenance. "I knew that getting those two runes mixed up would ruin my mark. How could I have been so stupid! Who mistakes ehwaz with eihwaz?" She slumped in her seat, apparently having decided that she was ruined academically.

Ron wriggled out of his mothers ongoing bear-hug. He strode over to where Hermione was still sitting and snatched the parchment out of her limp hand. His jaw dropped and he hurried over to Harry who eagerly looked at it when it was thrust into his waiting hand.

"Hermione! Are you mad?" Ron asked.

"This is fantastic!" Harry affirmed. "All 'O's except Ancient Runes where you got an 'EE.' What's the problem?"

"Look," Ron said, grabbing the parchment back so he could shove in front of Hermione's face. "An 'O' in Astronomy. That's unbelievable considering what was happening at the time, I don't think anyone else would have managed it."

Hermione seemed to perk up a little, sitting up straighter and a half smile appeared on her face. "I suppose," she said, a little doubtfully.

Ron was looking at Hermione's results again. Harry saw his eyes drift to the bottom of the parchment. Ron looked ready to turn to see what the other papers revealed but then took a double-take. "Sixteen?!! You got Sixteen OWL's?!!! That's got to be some kind of record. And you were worried?!!!"

Harry had half noticed the sixteen at the bottom, but it's significance had bypassed him. He wondered how many he had gotten, and then remembered with a start that his results were just in front of him, waiting to be perused. Grinning slightly at his idiocy, Harry put aside his reservations of moments before and looked at his results.

Well.

Harry looked at them again.

This wasn't so bad. He had pulled off an 'EE' for his written and an 'O' for the practical in Transfiguration. That would easily get him into the NEWT course. And he had somehow managed to not only get an 'O' in his Defence theory, a mark he had been rather expecting, but there was a strange mark for his practical test. He had gotten an 'F.' What was this? No one had mentioned an 'F' to him before. In a panicked moment he wondered if it was anything like a Muggle 'F,' before he remembered just how well he had done, and calmed himself down enough to try to find out more.

Harry looked over at Hermione, who was looking thoroughly engrossed in the stack of papers that had been behind her results. Ron was looking over her shoulder, and Mrs Weasley and Ginny seemed rather interested in watching the two of them.

He cleared his throat.

"Hermione," she looked up at him absently. "Do you know what an 'F' is?" Harry felt suddenly self-conscious when he became the centre of the rooms attention.

Hermione was reaching over the table, and he gingerly handed her his results sheet.

He watched in silence as she read it over carefully, Ron still reading over her shoulder, now joined by his mother and sister.

"A Faultless, Harry," she exclaimed, "what did you do in your practical?" Harry wondered just how wrapped up in her own tests Hermione must have been to have forgotten this.

Ron snapped his fingers. "The Patronus!"

"That must be it!" Hermione jumped out of her seat and threw herself around the table, to where Harry barely managed to stand before she was upon him, engulfing him in a huge congratulatory hug. "This is brilliant, Harry. Twelve OWLs, and a mark in Defence that has to be..." she seemed lost for words.

Mrs Weasley was close on her heels, her hesitancy of earlier in the holidays gone as she took Hermione's place as soon as she was able. Ron settled for a giving him a hearty clap on the back, and Ginny shot him a broad smile that seemed to light up the room.

A little later, the three could be found up in Ron's room, discussing their results and what this meant for their final two years at Hogworts. The last they had seen of Mrs Weasley she had been kneeling in front of the fire preparing to let Mr Weasley know the news, while Ginny had retreated again to her room, although whether she was going to tidy it as her mother had requested was anybody's guess.

Harry sat on the small bed he had been using during his stay. Ron and Hermione were sitting on Ron's more conventionally sized and permanent bed. They had been passing their results around for a while, commenting on marks as various things about the exams came back to them, but now all three were thoroughly involved in reading through the rest of their envelopes' contents.

Most of the parchment was made up of leaflets much like those they had looked over in the Easter Holidays, while preparing for their career advise sessions. This time, they were more applicable to each of their individual recipients, having apparently taken classes taken into account.

A small pile of the discarded papers was growing on the floor in between the beds.

'Cultivated Fungus Trader' Harry read on a green tinged pamphlet. He rolled his eyes, scrunched it up and threw it on the pile. It was quickly followed by a cream flyer from Ron, while Hermione seemed to consider the yellow one in her hand before giving a decided shake of her head and sending it off to join the others.

"Hang on- I've got one here for you Harry," Ron said, a serious look on his face. "The Daily Prophet is looking for new journalists. I reckon with your experience making up Divination homework you'd be a shoo-in for this."

Harry looked at Ron for a second, blinked, and then both roared with laughter. Hermione picked up the paper from where it had drifted to the ground when Ron had let go to hold onto his sides. She glanced at it consideringly.

"Hermione..." Harry said, noticing. "You don't think that's a good idea do you?"

She placed it on a small pile of parchment to her left where she had been placing all those she was considering.

"What, you want to be the next Rita Skeeter?" Ron asked her.

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione answered scathingly. "Haven't you heard of 'changing the system from within'? What better way to have the news reported properly than by doing it ourselves? Anyway, the past few years have proven that even when the Prophet is printing rubbish it gets out to a huge audience who just lap it up. This could be the way to finally get the plight of House-Elves taken seriously..."

Harry and Ron exchanged glances, not quite believing what they had just been told. Ron opened his mouth, no doubt to start an argument, but Harry cut him off.

"Have you seen one for Auror's yet, Ron? There must be one somewhere here..."

He began to go through the pile at a faster rate and Ron, with a wordless nod joined him. Both had already considered their options on their way up the stairs and still wanted to concentrate on becoming Auror's, even though Ron wasn't sure what chance he had. His Potions score, while a pass did not include an 'O.' Harry who had an 'E' for the practical and an 'O' for the theory was less worried - at least about the getting into the class part. He was still a little uncertain about just how he would get on in class with Snape, especially if things continued as they had been at the end of last year.

"Here it is!" Harry called out at last, nearly at the bottom of the pile on his lap. He picked up the slate coloured paper moments before Ron pulled out an identically coloured paper from his own pile. Quickly he read the contents, which were little different to the similar paper he had read at Easter. A minimum of five NEWTs, all with at least a grade of Exceeds Expectations. It would not be easy. At least it didn't specify five mandatory subjects, allowing some flexibility.

Ron looked up, relieved.

"No Snape, no Potions, and I'm still in with a chance."

Harry grimaced at the mention of Snape. "I'm taking Potions. I'm not going to make that essay I slaved over be for nothing. Plus I want to keep to what McGonagall said as much as possible."

Hermione, by this time had almost reached the bottom of her own pile. She was frowning at the final sheet, and Ron had edged closer so that he could see what had her attention, before groaning. Harry stood up and took a look for himself.

It was a selection sheet for the subjects they wanted to study for the NEWTs. Harry sat back down and discarding the rest of the career pamphlets took out his own selection sheet.

At the top it gave the date that it was expected to be sent in. Tomorrow. None of them was happy at the hurried decision that they were being forced to make.

Hermione spread out her selected career pamphlets and considered them as she looked back at the selection sheet, trying to decide what to keep and what to drop. Harry suspected that in the end it would be a miracle if she dropped anything at all.

Ron, in making room for Hermione's pamphlets sheets, had been forced to join Harry on the smaller bed. Together they decided to continue with Care of Magical Creatures, which both agreed would be useful, especially considering the dangerous creatures that the invariably came into contact with each year with Hagrid. It would all be useful in a career as an Auror. Additionally both decided to continue with Charms, Defence and Transfiguration, three of the four recommended by McGonagall, and Herbology, which they both agreed might can in handy. Harry, as he had previously decided marked down that he intended to continue with Potions. That would give him six subjects, one more than required. With any luck even if he didn't manage to get high enough marks in one class, he would still have the other five to get him considered.

Frowning at his sheet, Ron seemed torn between picking a sixth class like Harry to have as a backup, or just leaving it at that. Harry, looking over at Ron's sheet saw that the only other class he could chose was History of Magic. He wasn't to surprised when Ron threw down his quill and declared that he was finished.

Hermione looked up from where she was busily marking her own selections. "What have you picked?" she asked them. She looked over their selections, looking mostly approving at what they had chosen. "Ron," she queried at last, "why don't you do history? Your mark was good enough and knowing what has happened in the past can be useful for an Auror too."

"No way, Hermione. The only real use Binn's class has is for catching up on sleep. I can think of heaps of better things to do than dying of boredom, listening to him drone on and on."

Hermione seemed ready to argue the point, but at the last second something checked her. She turned back to her own sheet, making her last few selections.

"I'm going to continue-" she began.

"With everything, we know Hermione." Ron cut in.

"Actually no. I'm dropping Astronomy." Hermione looked at them as if daring them to comment. For once even Ron managed to hold his tongue, but Harry knew that his friend was as glad as he himself was. Nine classes was more than enough for anyone.

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Following the pattern of one thing happening on top of another, the next day their Hogwarts letters arrived.

Mrs Weasley could not hide her disappointment when Ginny's envelope failed to produce a prefect badge, although Ginny did not look too worried. Harry suspected that she was in fact relieved. Ron looked a little put out.

Harry looked at his letter.

Dear Mr Potter, it began as usual. It continued on with the information that the first day of school would be the first of September, and that the Hogwarts Express would be leaving Kings Cross from platform nine and three- quarters at eleven sharp.

The booklist that accompanied the letter was the longest that Harry had every seen. He was relieved to see that he did not in fact need to get all the books it listed. It had in fact, the books required for all the classes that were being offered at NEWT level. A note at the bottom instructed students to only get the books that he or she needed for the classes he or she had selected to study. Harry, looked over the list and was even more relieved to see that he had nearly all the books he needed already. It was a good thing too, as he wasn't sure how much more his trunk would be able to carry.

"Well," Mrs Weasley said to the four after their Hogwarts letters had been finished and the lists of what they needed considered. "I'll get in contact with the Order. I think we can arrange for a trip to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get all the new things you all need."

All four cheered aloud. Diagon Alley had been denied them much to long.

Harry could barely wait.

He had really been looking forward to going to Diagon Alley, sure that he would get to go there at least once this summer. He could still remember with fondness his sojourn there in the summer before third year, and his disappointment last summer when it had been deemed 'unsafe' for him and his friends to go.

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When Harry fell out of the fireplace into the Leaky Cauldron, with his usual lack of Floo network exiting grace, he was shocked at the sight of those waiting for him. Even beneath his excitement, he had understood that the Order would have members other than Mrs Weasley present - he had been told so the day before. He hadn't been counting on this though. In addition to his Order guard - Moody and Mundungus under Invisibility cloaks; Tonks, tall and stern with iron grey hair and severe black robes, only giving herself away with her mischievous grin on Harry's exit; and Lupin looking much like his usual worn self, who walking along openly to stand on Harry's right - Harry was being forced to suffer an honour guard at the Ministry's insistence. Twenty Aurors surrounded Harry and his friends, and once they had started off, a further ten roamed ahead and behind the main group, checking out stores they intended to visit, and making sure that the public kept their distance.

Harry hated it.

It was good that he wasn't being approached left right and centre by people who thought they knew him because they had read about him, but it wasn't good that all this fuss just brought more attention to him. Attention Harry had never wanted regardless of what the prophet had been saying last year.

They went first to Gringotts, where Harry had a difficult time convincing his guard that Lupin would be quite enough to protect him from his own vault. The day got worse from there.

At Flourish and Blotts, the shop was forcibly emptied of it's customers. This lead to an angrily muttering crowd outside while Harry grabbed the few books he needed, some new stationary supplies and waited impatiently for the others to finish scurrying around gathering the what books and things they needed.

By the time they had visited an Apothecary to replenish Potions supplies, the Magical Menagerie to pick up some treat for their respective pets and Madam Malkins to buy new school robes Harry was developing a headache. Although he desperately wanted to, he did not go into Quality Quidditch Supplies, when Ron and Ginny went. He knew that the other people in Diagon Alley were already annoyed enough at being forced to remove themselves from shops he needed to visit. The last thing he wanted was a riot breaking out because one of the most popular store in the Alley was denied them, so he sat outside with Hermione, wishing for the umpteenth time since his introduction the magical world that he was not the Boy-Who-Lived.

There was one place however, that he was determined to visit regardless of what anyone said or thought. Ron, Ginny and Hermione were just as excited, as they had yet to visit this shop as well. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

Fred and George, as if in anticipation of their visit had shut up their shop for the afternoon. This meant that there was no-one for the Auror's to chuck out and push about.

Grinning, the twins gave everyone a whirlwind tour of their shop before setting them free to wander as they willed. Most of the Auror's were stationed around the outside of the building, and the few who were inside were quickly distracted by the colourful and noisy displays that were everywhere Harry looked. The twins pulled Harry aside and toward a door marked 'employees only.'

Making sure that no one was watching they pulled open the door and all three went through, closing it quietly behind them. The twin turned to Harry looking proud.

"What do you think, Harry?"

"Money well spent?"

Harry laughed. "It's fantastic, better than I even thought it would be!"

He looked around the room that had entered. It was well ordered, and the majority of the space was given over to a machine that Harry immediately went to inspect. The twins followed.

"It's our new venture, Harry," Fred said gesturing at the device.

"We were waiting for this to tell you about it." George moved off to the side and over to a pile of books that Harry had not noticed until that point. He picked up the top one, gave it a cursory and entirely unnecessary dust with his hand and gave it to Harry.

"It's called So You Want to be a Chameleon," Fred supplied helpfully.

"Straight off the presses of out new subsidiary, Tricky Books."

"And we think you'll find it useful-"

"-especially with the DA."

Harry frowned at the mention of the DA, wondering who had blabbed when he had specifically asked that no one be told that it would still be running. He put it behind him when the twins took him back out the main shop and began to ply their trade, giving away a few items to the students, making some sales to the Aurors and generally making sure that everyone was having a good time.

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Back at the Burrow, glad to finally escape all the staring eyes and whispers, Harry sat in the living room with Remus Lupin. Everyone else had wandered off, citing various reasons, but Harry suspected that they just wanted Harry and Lupin some privacy to talk.

Harry wanted to talk about Sirius, but unsure how to bring the subject up decided to start off with something he was really curious about. "Professor, do you know who will be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts this year?"

Lupin gave him an uninterpretable look. "Yes actually, Harry, I do. Dumbledore secured someone for the position not to long after the holidays started. Not long before you came here I believe. However, I think they're trying to keep your new teachers identity a secret until the school year begins though, so I'm not allowed to tell you."

Harry was a little disappointed.

"Are you looking forward to going back to Hogwarts?"

Harry thought about it for a second. "I guess so. I'm looking forward to seeing what is going to happen with Quidditch, and I'm looking forward to seeing my other friends. I'd probably be looking forward to Defence if I knew who was teaching it." He turned a guileless face to look at the older man.

It didn't work. Lupin just laughed. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to find out."

Harry decided it would probably be best if he changed the subject. "So," he said as he fished around for a topic. "Are you allowed to tell me anything headquarters?"

"Not much, I'm afraid," Lupin told him apologetically. "Meetings, pa- I mean planning, and Sirius' mother ranting away at us at every opportunity."

"You never managed to get rid of her?"

"We tried every magical method we knew; no luck."

"Magical? Did you try any Muggle methods?"

"You mean just pulling it off by hand, or levering it off? Of course we tried!"

"No. I mean... the portrait, it's just paint, right?"

"Yes, plus the spell which links it to the subject and allows it to interact as much as possible with its environment," Lupin shook his head ruefully. "I really wish a counter-spell for that one existed. It's proof even to Finite Incantatem."

Harry thought about this. Then he remembered something. "Dudley used to paint. Aunt Petunia reckoned he was quite the artist but even she drew the line when he painted all over the furniture. Made me clean it off. You should try mineral turpentine. Works a treat on ordinary paint. Can't hurt to try anyway."

Lupin looked interested. "It removes the paint? That might do the trick. It's not magical, so it won't be affected by any of the magical barriers... It might just work." He stood up and hurried over to the fireplace.

Harry wondered just what Mrs Black had been saying that Lupin was preparing to leave without saying good-bye.

"I'll tell the others you've gone then, will I?"

Lupin looked back to him a little distractedly. "Yes, sorry Harry, I had meant to talk with you more but this could be very important. I'll let you know if it works." He drew his wand, turned so that Harry couldn't see what he was doing, and must have cast a spell. The fireplace glowed briefly, much as it had earlier that morning when Mrs Weasley had done the same before they had Flooed to Diagon Alley. Lupin grabbed a handful of Floo powder, threw it on the fire that had started as the glow faded and said clearly "Number Twelve Grimmauld Place." Then he stepped into the flames and with a flash, vanished.

Harry ran into the kitchen to let Mrs Weasley know what had happened.

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Later that night, Harry was sitting in the living room, trying to work out just how he could broach the subject of his godfather the next time he saw Lupin. So deep in though was he, that the first he knew of anyone else in the room was his name being called, and apparently not for the first time, from right behind him.

Startled, Harry turned around and there was Ginny. He shivered slightly and noticed that she was frowning.

"What?" he asked as in as light-hearted a tone as he could muster.

"Harry, I need to ask you something, and I need you to give me a real answer. What-"

Bloody hell, Harry thought, she's noticed. Somehow he just knew that if he let her she was going to ask him about why he had been so jumpy about her all summer. He cut her off hurriedly. "Ginny, I'll tell you. I swear. Just not now. I can't yet."

The thought of talking about his possession threatened to tear away his hard won control. He was only just stopping himself from panicking. He knew he would tell some people eventually, and it probably would include her, as he did want to check up with her own experiences. He just needed to be a little more prepared, a little more... distant from the event.

Something of what he was feeling must have showed in his face as Ginny nodded slowly to his words, accepting them.

"Make sure that you do," she said seriously before lightening up. "In the meantime, how about a game of Exploding Snap?"

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Shall I Shut Up Now?

A/N: Here is the bit where I justify the way I have arranged their marks. First of all I should mention that I have heard that apparently the most OWLs you can get is twelve, but the only way I could figure this to work is if someone passed in all twelve of the available classes. We know that Percy got twelve OWLs, but we also know that Hermione tried to do all of the classes during her third year and nearly went mad under the strain, before dropping a couple, so I have dismissed this theory for now, and have gone along with the 'they get an OWL for each test they take' theory. Meaning that there are a potential eighteen OWLs that can be earned. As Hermione didn't take Divination (which only seems to involve a practical test) and Muggle Studies (which I imagine only has a theoretical test) this means that she had the opportunity to earn sixteen, which she did. The faultless mark that Harry got for his practical defence is based on an interesting passage from OotP. I noticed that Sirius said that he thought that he got 'at least' an outstanding, which seemed to indicate that there was a higher mark. There was no other corresponding information, in fact the only other possible mark that was mentioned anywhere was 'troll' which is one, at the other side of the spectrum, and two, much more likely to be made up (look at the source of the information), so I just came up with a mark of my own. I hope that make sense to everyone reading.

If anyone is interested I am working on So You Want to be a Chameleon at the moment. If you want me to post it here when it's finished all you have to do is review and let me know.

Next chapter: Will Harry finally spill the beans? Or will he just continue holding his cards close to his chest? Stay tuned to find out.